Page 143 of Laird of Smoke
Adam quietly slipped into their ranks.
Seeing the trebuchet had given him an idea.
“M’laird,” he said, “ye know, we could do some real damage before the siege.”
“Damage?What sort o’ damage?”
“A wee group of us could steal out o’ the keep and into their camp.The moon is barely a crescent, and they’ve banked their fires.No one would see us.”
“A wee group of us?”one of the men barked.
“Are ye mad?”another said.“We’d get caught.”
“And killed,” chimed in a third.
Adam explained.“We won’t go near the pavilions.And we won’t attack anyone.But wecouldset their trebuchet afire.”
Their brows shot up at that idea.Then the men began chortling with glee.
“Aye!”Fergus shouted, clapping Adam on the back.“Brilliant.”
“Who’s with me then?”Adam asked.
The enthused men were less enthusiastic about pulling off the deed themselves.
“Come on, lads,” Fergus urged.“’Twill be as easy as reivin’ coos.”
They still balked, muttering excuses.
Fergus snorted.“Hell.I’ll go myself if ye’re a bunch o’ milksops.”
“Nay, m’laird.”
“’Tis too risky.”
“Don’t be a halfwit,” one man said, taking hold of Fergus’s arm.“Ye can’t go, m’laird.”
“Who are ye callin’ a halfwit?”Fergus roared, pulling his arm away.“I can and I will.”
“I’ll go,” Adam volunteered.“And I’ll keep the laird safe.”
His men were drunk, but not that drunk.They understood the risk of venturing into enemy territory, where they were outnumbered.They also weren’t about to leave their laird in the hands of a mercenary they barely knew.
Two of them reluctantly agreed to go.The other two said they’d watch from the wall walk with bows and arrows at the ready.
Adam wasn’t worried about the two atop the wall walk.It was too dark for archery, even if they hadn’t been too drunk to aim.
He was most concerned about the two guards who’d agreed to accompany him.They were the least drunk of the four.They would be the hardest to manage.
Fortunately, Adam was a Rivenloch by birth.Though he’d chosen a different path from his kin, he’d been raised a warrior.He knew how to handle guards.
It was full dark when the four agitators slipped out of the keep.They couldn’t risk bringing a lit brand to start the fire.So the two guards were armed with flint, steel, and straw.
They were also armed with swords.
Adam carried a dagger.Inside his hauberk he’d tucked a large square of white linen.
A quarter of the way toward the king’s camp, Adam made his move with fluid stealth.
